Undrafted NBA Free Agents 2016: Latest Details on Top Rookie Signings
The 2016 NBA draft came and went in a hurry Thursday night, but front offices can't relax just yet.
Plenty of compelling prospects who didn't make the top-60 cutoff are now undrafted free agents, and teams across the league are scrambling to snatch up hidden gems in advance of the summer league.
| Alex Caruso | Texas A&M | |
| Alex Poythress | Kentucky | Orlando Magic |
| Andrey Desyatnikov | Russia | |
| Brandon Austin | Alabama | |
| Brannen Greene | Kansas | |
| Cat Barber | N.C. State | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Damion Lee | Louisville | |
| Danuel House | Texas A&M | Washington Wizards |
| Derrick Jones | UNLV | |
| Dorian Finney-Smith | Florida | |
| Egidijus Mockevicius | Lithuania | |
| Elgin Cook | Oregon | |
| Emmanuel Malou | Australia | |
| Fred VanVleet | Wichita State | Toronto Raptors |
| Gary Payton II | Oregon State | Houston Rockets |
| Goodluck Okonoboh | UNLV | |
| Gracin Bakumanya | Congo | |
| Isaiah Taylor | Texas | Houston Rockets |
| Jalen Reynolds | Xavier | |
| Jameel Warney | Stony Brook | Dallas Mavericks |
| James Webb III | Boise State | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Jarrod Uthoff | Iowa | |
| Julian Jacobs | USC | |
| Kaleb Tarczewski | Arizona | Washington Wizards |
| Kyle Wiltjer | Gonzaga | Houston Rockets |
| Landry Nnoko | Clemson | Orlando Magic |
| Mamadou Ndiaye | UC-Irvine | Golden State Warriors |
| Marshall Plumlee | Duke | New York Knicks |
| Moussa Diagne | Senegal | |
| Nathan Boothe | Toledo | Miami Heat |
| Perry Ellis | Kansas | Dallas Mavericks |
| Prince Ibeh | Texas | |
| Quincy Ford | Northeastern | Utah Jazz |
| Rasheed Sulaimon | Maryland | Chicago Bulls |
| Robert Carter | Maryland | Golden State Warriors |
| Ron Baker | Wichita State | New York Knicks |
| Rosco Allen | Stanford | |
| Ryan Arcidiacono | Villanova | San Antonio Spurs |
| Shawn Long | Louisiana-Lafayette | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Sheldon McClellan | Miami | Washington Wizards |
| Shevon Thompson | George Mason | |
| Stefan Jankovic | Hawaii | |
| Thomas Walkup | Stephen F. Austin | |
| Tim Quarterman | LSU | |
| Troy Williams | Indiana | Phoenix Suns |
| Wayne Selden | Kansas | |
| Yogi Ferrell | Indiana | Brooklyn Nets |
| Zach Auguste | Notre Dame |
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Evidently, it didn't take long for some names who shined in college to find homes in the professional ranks.
Gary Payton II Latches On with Houston
According to Cleveland.com's Chris Haynes, former Oregon State guard—and son of an NBA Hall of Famer—Gary Payton II agreed to a three-year deal with the Houston Rockets shortly after the draft ended. Citing sources, Fox 26's Mark Berman confirmed the report.
Payton may not be a complete prospect on the offensive end, as his 31.4 percent three-point conversion rate from last season suggests, but he brings boatloads of intensity on defense, as KATU-TV's Craig Birnbach noted:
Payton figures to enter a favorable situation in Houston.
Although Patrick Beverley is under contract for three more years, per Spotrac, the Rockets don't have any surefire depth behind him.
With a chance to impress in the summer league before training camp rolls around, Payton should be afforded a number of chances to make a case for playing time as his first NBA campaign approaches.
Ron Baker Heads to the Big Apple
Ron Baker fit the limited-upside mold after he played for four years at Wichita State, but the 23-year-old found a landing spot in timely fashion.
According to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, Baker agreed to terms on a partially guaranteed deal with the New York Knicks that will span one year.
Vecenie explained the move is a low-risk, high-reward play for a Knicks team that didn't have a pick in Thursday's draft:
But if Baker wants to have a prosperous career in the Association, he'll need to become a dependable outside shooter after knocking down 36.9 percent of his three-point attempts over the course of four years with the Shockers.
"I need to shoot the NBA three with a lot more confidence and a higher percentage," he said, per NBA.com's Chris Dortch. "I need to take care of the basketball a little bit better. Just be a reliable source at all times on both ends."
Look for Baker to be a featured member of the Knicks' summer-league roster.
Robert Carter Lands in the Bay Area
Maryland Terrapins big man Robert Carter projected as a potential second-round pick entering the 2016 draft, but he slipped through the cracks and reportedly ended up in a championship-caliber locale.
According to Haynes, Carter has "reached a deal" with the Golden State Warriors. CSNMidAtlantic.com's J. Michael confirmed the report.
Cracking the Warriors roster—especially after the reigning Western Conference champions selected Vanderbilt center Damian Jones in the first round—will be a tall task, so Carter's best hope may be parlaying a strong summer-league showing into a spot on the team's NBA Development League roster.
And that's hardly a bad thing.
In a strong developmental program, the 22-year-old could be in line for plenty of playing time to flex his muscles and steadily evolve into an NBA-caliber player down the line.
